Excalibur Almaz Cargo Missions

Cargo transportation services represent a multi-billion dollar sector of the emerging commercial space market. Cargo missions can be classified into two categories based on direction of movement – upmass and downmass. Upmass is pressurized or unpressurized and downmass can be recoverable (return downmass) or non-recoverable (disposal downmass). Disposal downmass consists of trash and waste. These materials need to be removed from orbital destinations and are destroyed upon re-entry. Return downmass is returned to Earth for recovery.